September 20, 2003

The big newsmaker of the week, Hurricane Isabel, had little to no affect on the upper Midwest. This is good news because the area is already dealing with a dry spring and summer and would not have faired well had strong winds hit the area.

It is starting to look like fall in much of Minnesota and the northern half of Wisconsin where foliage color change is in the 11 to 30 percent range. In Northwestern Minnesota, they are close to crossing into the moderate color range. Elsewhere in the region, color change remains very low.

If you have not yet made your leaf-peeping travel plans, now is the time! Check out our Places to Stay and Foliage Spotters sections to find great accommodations!

This information provided by Marek D. Rzonca, The Foliage Network. The next report will be released on Wednesday, September 24, 2003.